Why Joe Burrow's Heisman Trophy speech changed lives
Joe Burrow is great on the gridiron. But Heisman Trophy winner made a more lasting contribution to thousands of hungry kids in Ohio.
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow gave a moving speech at the Heisman Trophy ceremony Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 in New York.
AP Photo/Jason Szenes
Louisiana State University quarterback Joe Burrow won the prestigious Heisman Trophy this weekend. But what he did Saturday night was arguably way more impressive than anything he鈥檚 done on the gridiron.
With help from fans, he鈥檚 raised $430,000 for hungry kids in Ohio.
In accepting college football鈥檚 most coveted award, Mr. Burrow said this:聽
鈥淐oming from southeast Ohio it鈥檚 a very impoverished area and the poverty rate is almost two times the national average. There鈥檚 so many people there that don鈥檛 have a lot and I鈥檓 up here for all those kids in Athens and Athens County that go home to not a lot of food on the table, hungry after school. You guys can be up here, too.鈥�
The speech prompted Athens resident Will Drabold to set up a fundraising page on Facebook. In three days, more than to support the Athens County Food Pantry.
But perhaps more important than the money raised is the shift in attitudes among children living in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio. that his wife, a teacher, said that one of her 3rd graders declared with pride 鈥淚 go to the food bank.鈥� This isn鈥檛 pride in hunger. Rather, it鈥檚 a child鈥檚 understanding that they aren鈥檛 defined by poverty. They can overcome it and help others, just like Mr. Burrows.聽聽
And that, said Mr. Drabold, is the lasting gift: 鈥淣one of these kids, who are in the same classrooms Joey was, will ever forget this.鈥�